Utah Football Brand & Identity

We’ve made impressive strides in our brand/identity among college football analysts and other coaches across the country. The rankings consistency proves that and builds upon that. Besides the analyst quotes above, I’m regularly reading quotes from various coaches across the nation who appreciate Whitt’s coaching and out style of football and are trying to emulate it.

However the aspect where we still need to grow and improve our brand is among national football FANS. I’m talking primarily outside the western Pac12 states. As someone who lives in the east, our name recognition is improving with those I talk with, but the familiarity is still very lacking. Part of it is that I live in the SEC footprint where folks don’t think outside the SEC/Big10 much at all. I’m pretty sure part of it is due to our late after dark games. The PAC12 as a whole outside of USC and Oregon seemed to struggle with recognition and i chalk part of it up to terrible game times for this half of the country. I get that there are those in the west who love and hate the later games, but they’re almost prohibitively late for anyone other than major fans in the east. I’ll watch, but I groan every time I see a super late one because I know I’ll be super tired the next day.

Anyway, we’re doing great as a brand, but we shouldn’t get too comfortable. Consistently playing in big games and getting some big wins in the major bowl games will help with fan sentiment. We’re just about there!